'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎95] (114/622)

CHAPTER III.
1838—1845.
Additions to the Service—The Court of Directors The London-based directors of the East India Company who dealt with the daily conduct of the Company's affairs. on the Discipline of the
Service—The Indian Navy and Sir F. Maitland—Occupation of Kharrack—
Demonstration at Bushire—The Succession of Commodores in the Persian
Grulf—The Capture of Aden—Eepulse of the Arabs in their repeated Attacks
upon Aden, and Q-allant Services of the Indian Navy—Increase of the Steam
Marine—The War with China—Services of the c Atalanta,' ' Sesostris,'
4 Auckland,' and ' Medusa'—Loss of the 4 Memnon'—Augmentation of the
Service—The Conquest of Scinde, and the Indus Steam Flotilla.
DURING the year 1838, a fine schooner, named the 4 Con
stance,' was launched at Bombay; she was 182 tons
burden, and carried five 12-pounders, which, at a later period,
as also in the case of her sister ship, the 'Mahi/ of 157 tons,
were changed for one pivot 32-pounder and two 12-pounder
howitzers, in addition to the ordinary boats' guns. The Court
of Directors also contracted in England for a steam-frigate and
a packet, and an iron river steamer, called the 4 Indus,' w 7 as
added to the Service. On the other hand, the 18-gun sloop-
of-war 'Amherst' was transferred to the Bengal Government From c. 1758-1858, the East India Company's administration in Bengal. From 1773-1833, the most senior of the three subdivisions of India, also known as the Supreme Government of India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. .
In the year 1839 an unfortunate addition was made to the
steam packets of the Service, in the purchase of the 4 Kilkenny,'
of 684 tons and 280 horse-power, which had hitherto been em
ployed in carrying pigs from Waterford to Bristol. It was con
sidered that this vessel would be an acquisition to the Service,
and from her fittings would be peculiarly adapted for the con
veyance of passengers between Bombay and Suez ! Accordingly
she was despatched from Waterford, and, by Government noti
fication, dated July 16—two days after her arrival—was re
ceived into the Service under the more grandiloquent name of
'Zenobia.' From the first she was a signal failure, and this act
of purchasing into the Government service a worn-out "pig-
boat," bore so conspicuous a similitude to the perpetration of a
job, that it was not repeated ; rather, we should say, the job
bery of the future changed its type, and was manifested in the
supply of new steamers like the 'Ajdaha ' and 4 Cleopatra,'
which were from the first worthless, and cost the Government
large sums to keep in repair.